Yesterday, Maryland became the second state to adopt the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA), but will be the first state to implement it (starting October 1st this year). Virginia approved UCITA first but has delayed implementation of the law until next year, after a committee studies the law.

Slight changes were made to UCITA in Maryland to increase consumer protection measures in software licensing (one of the areas UCITA affects most), but most of the changes sought by UCITA's opponents were not implemented. One change that was adopted was that an oversight panel would review UCITA and its effects on an ongoing basis.

While most consumer organizations are against UCITA, and most software companies are for it, the governors of both states that adopted the law have said that they hoped the adoption would bring more high-tech companies into their areas.

What I find most appalling about these states passing this questionable law is that their actions are clearly motivated by a desire to attract high-tech companies and the juicy tax revenues they represent. I guess I could let that quibble go if I felt that extra corporate tax revenues would allow these states to lower taxes, but we all know how often that happens. The political cycle of greed is ever-disappointing.

Though I linked to this defense of UCITA in the second article above, in the interests of fairness and “knowing what you're talking about,” I recommend it again if you want to really get a balanced sense of what UCITA is intended to do. I still don't understand why so many varied companies and organizations and government bodies are against this law if it's as innocuous and pro-consumer as its defenders make it out to be, but it's still good to get a different perspective.

Last summer, the National Conference of Commissions on Uniform State Laws recommended that all 50 states adopt UCITA, but luckily the pace has been very slow so far. Keep your fingers crossed that your state legislature won't succumb to the “oooooh, more tax money for us–screw the consumers” syndrome that hit Virginia and Maryland.